Patels clash with BJP members; cops resort to teargas shells

Leaders and workers of Gujarat’s ruling BJP, who were celebrating Gujarat government’s announcement of special scheme for deserving students, were pelted with stones by members of the Patel community, prompting police to lob 25 teargas shells to disperse the mob.

The stone-pelting took place in Mangadh chowk area of Surat, in which Mayor of Surat city Nilesh Jhanjhmera, BJP MLAs Harsh Sanghvi and Purnseh Modi suffered minor injuries, an official said.

“A team of Surat Police lobbed 25 teargas shells to disperse a mob when they started pelting stones at the BJP leaders who gathered at Mangadh chowk to celebrate the special scheme announced today by Gujarat government,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-4) of the city, K N Damor, said.

A mob gathered in the area and started pelting stones. A police team soon rushed to the area and first made an appeal to the mob not to resort to violence and lobbed teargas shells to disperse them, he said.

According to Damor, police have launched an inquiry into the case and launched a search for the offenders. Earlier on Thursday, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel announced a special scheme which has financial and other assistance for bright students across categories.

The scheme named ‘Mukhyamantri Yuva Swavlamban Yojna’ (Chief Minister Youth Self-reliance Scheme), is not limited to just general category students but its benefit will be given to students of all the categories, including OBCs, SCs and STs.